1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector structure in which a wiring part that arranged inside a hinge is electrically connected to circuit boards provided in two housings that are joined by the hinge. The present invention further relates to a portable terminal device employing this connector structure.
Priority is claimed to Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-347071, filed Nov. 29, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
In the case of portable terminal devices that employ a connector structure in which a wiring part arranged inside a hinge is electrically connected to circuit boards provided in two housings that are joined by the hinge, it has been the conventional practice to provide a waterproof wall to each of the seam portions of the hinge, or to provide a water resistant material, such as water resistant packing or water-absorbing tarpaulin, near the hinge inside the housing, in order to prevent water from seeping into the housing through the openings for entry and exit of the wiring parts, as is shown, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2002-134938. In addition, as is shown, for example, in JP-A No. 2002-124779, these wiring parts are held firmly between this water resistant material in order not to be subject to over-tension and slackening during opening and closing of the housings that may damage the connection between the wiring part and the circuit board.
Essential components in the above-described structure will now be explained using FIGS. 5 and 6.
In the portable terminal device 101 shown in FIG. 5, numerical symbols 131 and 132 indicate shaft bearings for hinge 130 that join first housing 110 and second housing 120 openably and closably. On the internal side of shaft bearings 131 and 132, hollow cylindrical members 134 and 135 that communicate with the inside of housings 110 and 120 are also provided in the axial direction of the bearings. A flexible board 150 that passes through these cylindrical members 134 and 135 extends into housings 110 and 120, and electrically connects circuit boards 141 and 142 provided are housed inside housings 110 and 120. Flexible board 150 and circuit board 141 are electrically connected by connector 153. A water resistant member 138 is disposed in housings 110 and 120 so as to seal areas of communication between cylindrical members 134 and 135.
As shown in FIG. 6, water resistant member 138 acts as a partition between hinge 130 and housing 110, and prevents water from seeping into housing 110. In addition, water resistant member 138 is divided in the direction of the thickness of housing 110, thereby holding and fixing flexible board 150 firmly in place.
However, in opening and closing housings 110 and 120, it is difficult to completely prevent water from seeping inside hinge 130, and so, water may penetrate inside hinge 130 and thereby leak inside housings 110 and 120 through gaps around water resistant member 138. As a result, there is a problem in that connector 153 in particular, which is disposed near hinge 130 inside housings 110 and 120, is subject to corrosion. In addition, in order to reduce water adhesion, water resistant member 138 is provided inside housing 110. As a result, connector 153 ends up disposed further inside housing 110 than water resistant member 138, thus reducing the space for disposing the circuits on circuit board 141. This can be quite problematic when there is a limit on the size of circuit board 141, as in the case of portable terminal device 101.
The present invention was conceived in view of the above-described circumstances, and relates to a connector structure, and to a portable terminal device employing the same, in which a wiring part arranged inside a hinge is electrically connected to circuit boards provided in two housings joined by the hinge. It is an object of the present invention to improve the water resistance of the connector and expanding the space for disposing circuits on the circuit board.